


starry eyes sparkin up my darkest night

by ivyrobinson



Series: call it what you want [2]
Category: Anastasia (1997), Anastasia - Flaherty/Ahrens/McNally
Genre: F/M, Married Couple
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-08-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:59:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25895563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivyrobinson/pseuds/ivyrobinson
Summary: sequel to call it what you want. 5 years after running away with her bodyguard, Dmitry, Anya finds herself reunited with her siblings.
Relationships: Dimitri | Dmitry/Anya | Anastasia Romanov (Anastasia 1997 & Broadway)
Series: call it what you want [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1879195
Comments: 34
Kudos: 42





	1. Chapter 1

“You look like a peasant,” is this first thing Anya’s older sister, Olga, says to her when she sees her for the first time in five years. 

Anya wriggles her swollen toes and shrugs, “You try wearing shoes when you’re nine months pregnant.” 

“I wouldn’t know,” Olga says with a sigh and not without some hint of bitterness. 

It’s been a long, very hard few years for the Romanovs. A year or so after Anya and Dmitry has run away in the middle of the night, there was a complicated series of events that lead to her father having to abdicate. Her siblings were finally shuffled off to France, while their father remained imprisoned and her mother refused to leave them. 

She’d known they’d be arriving soon, but she was more prepared to see them all over at her Grandmother’s rather than on the doorstep of her house. 

One by one her sisters walk in after Olga invites herself in. Tatiana gives her a kiss on her forehead, her once most beautiful sister looks worn out now, tired and traveled. Maria throws her arms around her in a hug, or as much of one she can manage given the fact that Anya’s stomach is in the way. Alexei is not with him. 

“The journey exhausted him,” Maria explains when Anya looks past her. “He fell asleep as soon as we got there. He misses you and your abductor though.”

“I abducted Dmitry,” Anya corrects. There’s been a handful of letters exchanged between all of them over the past few years, but it was hard to fully keep in touch given everything that was going on. 

“No one doubts that, Nastya,” Tatiana calls over her shoulder as she inspects the area around her. 

She goes by Anya now, the name she originally used when she first met Dmitry. Anastasia felt too grandiose for the life she had decided to lead. 

She wishes this were a happier reunion. 

Anya has long imagined what it would be like when she finally saw her sisters and brother again and while she anticipated a lot of yelling at her and her gumption, she knew they’d all be happy to be reunited. 

They were happy, she’s sure, but there’s so much more going on that there’s just underlying sadness to it all. 

“How is Papa doing?” 

“As well as can be,” Olga responds, finding her way to the kitchen and all the sisters following like a pack of ducks. Some behavior never left you. She gets to making a pot tea as though this is now her kitchen. “They open all of our letters and sometimes whole pages are missing by the time we receive it. I don’t think he’s writing anything he shouldn’t, they just want to be unfairly cruel.” 

“And Mama?” 

“About the same,” Olga says, rummaging around for tea cups. “She was so torn over to stay or go with us but she didn’t want to leave him alone and we all have each other.” 

Anya nods, uncertain what else to say about the matter. 

“How was the journey here?” She asks, and Olga maneuvers her into a chair. Forever in big sister and hostess mode. 

“Long,” Maria is the one that answers now. “Viktor came to get us.” 

“Is he here?” Viktor Zborovsky and his sister Katya were good friends from childhood. 

Tatiana nods, “He’s helping Nonna with a few things before he goes back to his apartments.” She wonders if they’ve lived close by this entire time and decides they haven’t. Nonna would’ve mentioned it to her by now. “Where’s Dmitry?” 

“Work,” Anya answers as Olga hands her a cup of tea. “It’s his last job until this one arrives, he’s afraid I’ll go into labor when I’m alone.” 

“You’ve been through it before, haven’t you?” Tatiana asks, as though she couldn’t quite place if the letter about the birth of her nephew had been real or not. 

An entire day of pushing him out of her had been very real for Anya. 

“He’s in the other room,” Anya says. They’d been happily playing together with some toys when the knock on the door had happened. More him than her, as she couldn’t get on the floor to properly play with him at the moment. 

“I’ll go get him,” Olga volunteers, and she can feel her oldest sister’s restless energy surrounding her. 

“Introduce yourself first,” Anya instructs her. “He’s a bit shy of strangers but he’s heard plenty about you all.” 

It’s hard to miss the wince from all three of her sisters at that. 

Leaving her family would always be an open wound for her. 

“How old is he now?” Maria asks, the first to recover. “It takes the mail so long to get to us, and everything we get is gutted.” 

“Robin is two,” Anya answers. “Just turned it a few weeks ago.” 

Olga returns with him on her hip. Dark blonde hair tousled, hazel eyes wide as he takes in all the people currently in their house. He reaches out for Anya. 

“Mama!” 

“Place him on the table,” Anya instructs, moving her tea cup over a little. 

“Anastasia, really,” is Olga’s response, and she sounds so much like their grandmother with that. “Where has your sense of decorum gone?” 

She’d never had a proper sense of it, which is why she had run away so brazenly with her bodyguard when she was 17. 

“We are informal here,” is her answer to her sister, however. Olga reluctantly sets Robin down on the table in front of Anya. “Little Robin we have some visitors.”

Her son rubs his eyes and nods, an attempt to hiding since he can’t hide himself against her. 

“These are your Aunts,” she continues on. “You’ve met Aunt Olga, and there’s Aunt Tatiana and Aunt Maria. They’ve just moved here.” 

“Hi,” he says, looking around at each of them. 

And with that the tension is broken with each of her sisters taking their turn to coo over their nephew.

-

Dmitry looks like he was unprepared to enter a house full of Romanov sisters when he comes home from work that evening. She can relate because she felt similar when she opened the door to them. 

“They refused to leave until you were home,” Anya says as he bends down to kiss her on the cheek. “Apparently I am incapable of being pregnant and taking care of our son at the same time.” 

Olga’s also made them dinner, after watching Anya waddle her way from the chair to the pantry. Never mind she’s been doing it this entire and never mind she has lived through this before. 

It’s only the guilt of having left them and the fact she had missed them terribly when they were parted that she lets them overrun her house for that afternoon. 

“That’s better than the reason I thought it was,” he responds, reaching over to squeeze her hand. She’s missed him terribly as well, and it’s only been hours since she last saw him. “I assumed they were waiting so they could kill me.” 

“Still might,” Maria teases as she walks back into the room. “Robin’s been making a case to spare you all afternoon, however.” 

“I knew having children would eventually pay off,” he returns easily but she knows Dmitry and can feel the underlying anxiety of seeing her family again. “How was your trip, Maria?” 

She waves off the question, having already gone into some detail to Anya earlier in the day. “Guess we should welcome you into the family now. Try not to run off with any more of my sisters though.” 

“Ah, there’s only one for me,” he answers and Anya tugs on his hand and he turns to help her up off the sofa. “...Are you all staying for dinner?”

“You can relax,” Maria smiles at him, tapping him lightly on the arm. “We will leave you and Nastya to your night. Expect to see you at Nonna’s soon though.” 

“I’ll come to say hello to Vik before he leaves as well,” Anya promises and a strange expression passes her sister’s face but it’s gone before she can question it. 

“Katya’s come as well,” Maria tells her. “I’ll make sure the Big Pair does not take off with our nephew tonight.” 

“We are rather attached to him,” Anya says before throwing her arms around her sister in another hug. “I’ve missed you all and I’m happy you’re all here, despite the circumstances.” 

“I’ve missed you as well,” Maria says as she releases her. “And I’m glad you weren’t there for all of it.” 

With a goodbye to Dmitry, Maria rounds up their older sisters and they all leave. It’s jarring to have them all back in her life but in a good way she thinks. 

If nothing else she can help them learn what it’s like to live as a disgraced royal.


	2. Chapter 2

Dmitry’s not certain what wakes him up, the noise Anya makes or her fingers digging into his arm. He’s awake immediately regardless, turning on a nearby lamp. She’s pale and strained. 

“What’s wrong?” Dmitry asks, though the bed is wet and he just woke up and thoughts are slow to form but he’s got a general theory. 

“Think I’m in labor,” she gasps, wincing. “Had back spasms all last night but I’ve been having them for over a month now.” 

“I’ll get—“ Dmitry starts to say and to get out of bed, but Anya reaches over and grabs his hand, squeezing it so hard he has to listen to make sure a bone doesn’t break as another contraction hits her. This is definitely not a good sign. 

“Not going to make it,” she hisses. “Call Lily.” 

He’s reluctant but moves as fast as he can to contact Marie’s companion, to see if they can get any doctors to make a rather urgent house call. He takes a brief moment to check to make sure Robin is still asleep in his room- he is and hopefully stays that way. 

Dmitry goes back to Anya’s side, immediately taking her hand again. 

“Why did Robin take so long and this one seems ready to come out after five seconds?” Anya complains, as Dmitry reaches over with his free hand to smooth back her hair. “I don’t like this.” 

He very much doesn’t like this either, and a few contractions later it’s feeling like he might have to very quickly learn how to deliver a baby when he hears a small commotion at the door before all three sisters are in the doorway. 

“Oh Nastya,” Olga sighs, coming over to pull the sheets away. “Always so dramatic.” 

“Not funny,” Anya grits out as Maria leaves behind the other two to stand next to Dmitry. “I asked for a doctor.” 

“Tanya and I used to volunteer at the hospital,” Olga points out. She turns to the next oldest sister, “Tanya, go boil some water. Masha, you can be in charge of Robin when he wakes.” 

“We brought Vik as well,” Maria offers to Anya, “He’s a doctor of sorts and is grabbing his supplies and heading over.” 

Dmitry decides not to dwell too much on the of sorts part, because they don’t really have a choice at this point and Olga always comes off as so competent you can’t actually question her. Maria takes a jump back while Anya goes through another contraction. 

“I’ll go start breakfast for Robin,” Maria offers, looking as though she’d like to skip the entire birth room process. 

“Make sure he doesn’t come in here,” Dmitry tells her, and Maria nods before disappearing from the room. He turns his attention back to Anya. “You okay?” 

“Not really,” she says. “Going to ruin this bed.” 

“Not imp-“ he starts to say at the same time Olga says, “I’ll buy you a new bed, Nastya, you’re going to have to push, the head is already partially out.” 

Anya shakes her head, he thinks more at the fact the baby is so far along and not at the fact she has to push. 

Dmitry focuses more on her than the process of what Olga and Tatiana are doing, murmuring encouraging words that sometimes get him an extra glare or a harder squeeze on his hand and the occasional ghost of a smile. 

At some point a tall man with auburn hair shows up with a medical bag and he assumes that’s Viktor, as well as a similar looking woman around Anya’s age, who must be his sister Katya who mentions in passing she’s a nurse now. 

“Good seeing you again, Nastya,” Viktor says pleasantly as he kneels in front of her. 

“I’m going to kill you Vik,” she returns and he laughs, good naturedly. 

“Can’t believe this is a fucking reunion in here,” Anya sighs. 

“Don’t worry about them,” he tells her. “You’re doing great.” 

“I know I am,” she returns. “It’s our child that is being the problem, forcing me to give birth to this makeshift crew.” She turns to the sister closest to her, who happens to be Tatiana. “Not that I don’t love and appreciate you guys.” 

“Please,” Tatiana waves it off. “You’ve said worse to us when you weren’t in the middle of giving birth, say what you need.”

“My reasonable sister,” Anya mutters, and then sighs, tilting her head back against the pillow. “I’m exhausted.” 

“You’re almost there,” Viktor informs her. “If you’re half as stubborn as you used to be, I know you can do it.” 

“Can Olga talk?” Anya asks, “I don’t like hearing the sound of my childhood crush while I’m trying to give birth.” 

Katya lets out a giggle. 

“The baby’s almost out,” Olga tells her. “And if it’s inherited any of your tenacity, it’ll help do the work for you.” 

“Oh sure everyone celebrates those qualities in me now,” Anya says but lifts her head up and readjusts her grip on Dmitry’s hand before pushing again. It’s gone numb at this point, so he can’t even tell the strength of her grip now. 

He presses a hand against her cheek. “I always admired those qualities about you.” 

She shoots him a look that clearly remembers all the fights he put up as her bodyguard. But those qualities did get them here so he can’t exactly complain about them. 

“Ho-“ Viktor begins to say before he seems to remember Anya’s request and then there’s just a whisper. 

“Hold on,” Olga translates. “She seems to be mostly out. You’ll have to push out the afterbirth though.” 

This seems to reinvigorate Anya, and she sits up on her elbows, “She?” 

“Yes, she,” Olga reiterates. “I can only assume she takes after you already, given the trouble she’s already caused.” 

On cue, the sound of a baby crying fills the room. 

Anya ignores that, instead turning to Dmitry to say, “We have a daughter.” He goes to stand up so he can have a peak at her, but Anya reaches over to stop him. “You can’t see her before me.” 

“He has to cut the cord,” Olga tells her but she does bring the baby into view. She’s tiny and pink and wailing as though she’s afraid she won’t have lungs if she doesn’t use them to her fullest potential. 

Anya lets Dmitry get up to do his part and then he returns to her side as their daughter is placed in her arms. She settles once she’s there. 

There’s a bit of chaos as everyone goes to move to leave, Viktor and Katya offer their congratulations and the news that Anya’s actual doctor should be by in a few hours to check on them- he had an emergency that happened before hers. 

Tatiana goes to let them out and to check on Maria and Robin. Olga stays and frets. 

“What’re you doing?” Anya asks, drowsily and not looking away from their daughter. 

“Making sure you’re not bleeding out,” Olga says with a frown. 

It’s enough for Anya to look up in alarm, “Am I?” 

“No, you seem relatively fine,” Olga responds. “But I’m not an expert.” 

“Go have breakfast,” Anya tells her. “You’re making me anxious, you can go bombard the doctor when he arrives.” 

Olga rolls her eyes, “I’m just concerned about you.” 

Anya nods, “I know and thank you for your help. You’re really good at this.” 

“You think so?” Olga asks, and then shakes her head. “Never mind, not important. Should I bring you guys anything?” 

“I think we are good for right now,” Dmitry tells her, “But thank you, and tell Robin I’ll be around soon and he can see his mother and sister later.” 

Olga nods before checking Anya one more time and then leaves the room, closing the door softly behind her. 

“She’s so tiny,” Anya comments, as their baby wraps her fingers around her index finger. “I can’t believe my sisters helped deliver my daughter.” 

“Guess she was excited by their arrival,” he tells her, reaching over to put his hand on the baby’s stomach, she moves her arms a little bit. “We aren’t naming her Otma, though.” 

“Don’t make me laugh,” Anya complains, “I just pushed my insides out.” 

He leans over and kisses her cheek, “You are the best person I know, Anya.” 

Anya bites her lip. “Third best. Robin and Eloise have me beat.” 

Dmitry smiles, “Eloise Sudayeva?” 

They’d talked about several names options for whatever sex it ended up being, but the ultimate decision was up to Anya. She’d given him the final choice on Robin. 

“She looks like one I think,” Anya says, shifting her in her arms slightly. 

“She does,” Dmitry agrees, “Eloise, you’ve caused quite a commotion this morning.” 

“Look how proud she is,” Anya whispers. 

Dmitry laughs, their daughter is most definitely going to take after her mother.


	3. Chapter 3

All of Maria Romanova’s sisters have found their purpose and it’s become a bit unsettling for her. Olga and Tatiana, renewed by assisting in their niece’s birth, now volunteered at the local hospital. Every night they came home, especially Olga, tired but with this extra layer of purpose in life. Nastya, the youngest girl who had spent so much of her youth trying on her older sisters’ respective personalities and adapting and twisting traits into her own, had gone off and forged her own life outside of everyone’s expectations of what she had been raised to be.

Her younger sister sits on their grandmother’s couch nearly a month past giving birth to her second child- Marie had threatened to send her entire household with her to Nastya’s if she didn’t bring Eloise over soon and suddenly Dmitry and her sister had made haste to come over, and she looks nothing at like the mischievous, slightly bratty sister of her youth. 

Maria has been raised as royalty, and only knew the soft skills that went with it. Olga and Tatiana spent their days helping saving lives, Anastasia was creating and nurturing life and Maria was bored and still painting watercolors. 

She wraps her arms around Nastya’s and rests her head against her shoulder. 

Her sister had finally relinquished little Eloise to Tatiana, after much convincing to let others see the baby. Robin is on his father’s hip across the room, getting better acquainted with his uncle. Maria rather thinks Alexei is happy to be in a household where he’s no longer the youngest or most vulnerable. 

Nastya turns her head and kisses the top of Maria’s. “Dearest Masha, what are you thinking about?” 

She tries to form words that won’t sound twisted and ugly from the jealousy she’s not trying to let sit. “Thinking about how lucky you were, to leave when you did.” 

“Those were not the words any of you used in your letters to me after I did,” she teases. “Selfish, immature and foolish were the ones I recalled.” 

Well those were mostly their parents’ words. Maria was mostly flabbergasted that her sister would have such gall, despite knowing exactly how much gall Anastasia had. 

She skirted propriety, she wasn’t supposed to blast through it completely. 

Maria would like to say you’d have to be a fool to not see the underlying tension in Dmitry and Nastya’s relationship, that there were hidden glancing and lingering touches and you could see the romance brewing between the two. But she had been completely blindsided so mostly she had felt betrayed for not knowing the biggest secret in her sister’s life. 

But now she has a husband, a family. Something that will probably evade Maria for her entire life now that her family’s legacy is in shambles. No one wants an exiled princess from a humiliated royal family. Olga and Tatiana seem determined to fill their life with the hospital work now, she’s overheard Olga taking to Katya about going for proper nursing training. 

Maria does not have the stomach to deal with such issues, this was confirmed upon seeing everything happening a few weeks ago when Anastasia gave birth and she ducked out and tended to the child who was well out of the womb. 

Robin was shy in a way his mother had never been, so mostly she had spent the time trying to coax some conversation from him. It must have worked, at least, because now he greets her with a hug. 

Perhaps her newest purpose in life will be to become the favorite aunt to however many children Nastya churns out. 

“When did you and Dmitry happen?” Maria asks her, as Anastasia’s attention wanders over to where Eloise is being held by Olga. 

“Oh,” she responds, her attention back on Maria. “You didn’t guess?” 

“You’re a wonderful actress, don’t fish for compliments,” Maria teases. “No, none of us had a clue.” 

She doesn’t have to tilt her head up to see her sister smile at that, but she still does just to confirm she does in fact still know her little sister well. 

“When he saved me from the kidnapping”, she answers with a sigh, “I didn’t tell him I was Anastasia, but rather a regular girl named Anya.”

The name he calls her now. “You made that into a reality.”

Nastya lets out a soft laugh, “Oh, I’ll never be a regular girl, or at least that’s what Dima’s told me.” Fair enough. “He was not happy to find out I was the Tsar’s daughter, and was not happy to take the job honestly.”

“But there was you,” Maria supplies. 

“Yes, there was me,” her sister agrees. “And I can be very persuasive. He did not want to continue the relationship we had begun back before he knew who I was.” 

“Papa would’ve killed him without hesitation had he known,” Maria points out. 

“That’s what Dmitry said as well,” Anastasia tells her, the implication still being that she believed her powers of persuasion to be great enough to save her lover from the wrath of a man who had all the power of Russia at the time. “So it’s probably for the best we left when we did. Sneaking around gets boring when all you want to do is be with the one you want.” 

Maria is not familiar with such great passion directed at herself. Maybe the fact that Dmitry was like most of Russia, not enthralled with the power and legacy of the Romanovs, critical even, and yet he had looked past that to fully fall in love with a member of the family. 

But, again, timing was everything and now the hatred of her family was like an open festering wound in the world. 

Maybe she can rename herself and start over. Be a painter in Italy. 

“And what did Nonna say when you showed up on her doorstep as a runaway?” 

“She asked if I had married,” Nastya replies, automatically twisting her wedding ring as she says the words. “I came alone the first time, as Dmitry was afraid to get shot on sight.” 

At least one of them had caution to use. 

“Were you?”

“Yes,” her sister says, as though offended she had to ask. “I didn’t want to get shot on sight by Nonna for running away and showing up ruined and unwed.” 

Well, that was more than she would’ve expected of her younger sister at the time this all happened. 

“And then?” 

She can feel Nastya shrug, “She lectured me for an hour, questioned me for another and then made me go get my husband.” She says the word like a soft sigh, as though she’s still in awe that she’s married to him five years and two children later. “Then she brought Dmitry to a room for an hour and then came out and announced we were staying with her until we could get on our feet.” 

Maria blinks, “What happened in her meeting with Dmitry?” 

“I don’t know,” her sister pouts. “He won’t tell me still. She adores him though.” 

Then he must have been convincing of his love for her Anastasia. Nonna would’ve accepted nothing less for her. He’s been sneaking glances back at her this entire time, no longer discreet as he had been back when he had been Anastasia’s bodyguard. 

“We all liked Dmitry,” Maria points out. “You were the only one that seemed to have a problem with him.” 

“It was fun,” Nastya tells her, reaching her arms out and Maria sits up to see Dmitry bringing Robin to them. “Robin, I’ve missed you so.” 

Robin presses his face against his mother’s neck, “Mama, there’s so many people here.” 

“I come from a big family, Bug,” she explains before looking up at Dmitry, “How is Alexei?” 

“Grown up,” Dmitry replies, looking slightly dazed by the revelation. He has gone through puberty since he last saw him. “How are you? Are you tired?” 

“A bit,” her sister admits, as though a veil has come down and she does suddenly seem exhausted. “Would like to get some rest soon.” 

Dmitry looks relieved by that, and Maria knows they can be a lot to handle at once. 

“I’ll try to wrestle Eloise from the Big Pair,” he promises, bending down to give her a kiss and ruffling Robin’s hair as he pulls away. 

“Love you,” she calls after him. “Robbie, do you remember your aunt Maria?” 

Robin brings his head up and crawls over to Maria’s lap. Oh, that is nice. “Auntie Ri.” 

Maria gives him a hug, “Exactly right.” 

“Can we paint again?” He asks her, referring to the activity they had ended up doing most of the morning his sister was born. 

“Of course,” Maria responds. Maybe being the favorite aunt really can be her lot in life. “I’ll make arrangements with your parents.” 

He nods happily as Dmitry comes back with the baby and they all say their goodbyes. Maria stays on the couch and tries not to look over at Viktor and think about things she can’t have and shouldn’t want.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> apologies that this chapter is all basically domestic fluff filler

“I miss being pregnant,” Anya announces, wriggling her toes under the blanket. Robin’s curled up by her side, half asleep on the sofa. 

Dmitry looks over at that, an eyebrow arched. She dares him to say it with an arched eyebrow of her own, and he does, “You said you were done with this pregnancy for the last four weeks of it.” He’s got Eloise on his shoulder as he moves through the room, his hand curved over her back. “And she took you seriously.” 

“I miss the middle part of being pregnant,” she amends. “When the sickness is gone and I’m not quite swollen yet and the baby just moves and grows inside of you.” 

“Inside of you?” Robin repeats, repulsed, even though he had just experienced his mother being pregnant with Eloise. 

“It’s a long story, baby,” Anya tells him, kissing the top of his head. Then she turns her attention back to Dmitry. “Why do you get her all night?” 

“You got her all afternoon,” Dmitry reminds her. “I think you have a selective memory.” 

“I have to,” she counters. “It’s what has allowed me to stay in love with you this entire time.”

“I’ll remember that the next time a princess begs me to run away with her,” Dmitry returns, turning his head to kiss Eloise’s cheek. She lets out a yawn against her father’s shoulder. 

“Who’s a princess?” Robin asks, and Anya wraps her arms around him. 

“No one,” Anya responds. 

But Dmitry says, “Your mother. Doesn’t she seem like royalty?” 

Robin tilts his head up to consider her, very much mimicking the expression his father uses when he’s trying to think. Then decides, “Yes, Mama does.” 

Anya glares at him, and he shrugs, unconcerned how serious a toddler will take his father’s claims about his mother’s royal status. 

Though if it wasn’t stripped from her when she ran away, it definitely is now that all her siblings live in exile. 

“I’m Mama,” she tells him. “And that’s much better than being a princess.” 

Dmitry bends down, cradling Eloise still, and places a kiss against her lips, allowing her to remember why she selects to love him endlessly. 

“It’s almost time for bed,” he tells their son, who responds by curling up even closer to Anya. 

“Ellie’s still awake,” he points out, his tongue still having trouble wrapping around the second part of his sister’s name. 

“Eloise has slept far more than you,” Anya tells him. “Put some pajamas on and you can stay up a little longer with Papa and I.” 

Dmitry walks over and gently transfers over their daughter to her, and she lets out a soft sigh at the shift. She’s grown so much the past few weeks and Anya can’t believe how quickly they grow. 

He then lifts up Robin to bring him to get ready for bed. 

“You need anything from the room?” Dmitry asks her, as Robin pushes his hand against his mouth in a yawn. 

“Just you two,” she tells him, and Robin blows her a kiss. She adjusts Eloise in her arms to look down at her. She’s got dark blue eyes and light strawberry blonde hair and looks at Anya as if she’s the entire world. “Do you know I have four siblings, Eloise?” Eloise winds her fingers around Anya’s hair. “Though if any more of you force me to give birth in my bed, I’ll have to rethink my stance on whether or not I want more of you.” 

There’s an expression on Eloise’s face- she knows what she did and she’s proud. Either that or she has gas. 

Anya leans down and peppers her daughter’s face with kisses and when she lifts her head up, the baby is smiling. 

Okay, she’s won over again. 

Robin and Dmitry both come back out in their pajamas, their son speeding back up to get to her. Anya made the very classy decision to spend most of her day in pajamas, and hoping it wasn’t a day her grandmother or any other member of her family would just show up. Robin attempts to climb back up on the sofa and Dmitry reaches down and lifts him up, taking the seat next to Anya and settling him down on his lap. 

“This is cozy,” she comments as Dmitry wraps an arm around her, and kisses her temple. 

“Definitely worth being abducted against my will,” he teases. 

She smiles at that, because the first few months were so strange and uncertain. Finding their footing and winning over her grandmother and attempting to make amends with her family over letters. 

There’s a book that Robin is clutching, and with his free hand, Dmitry reaches down to open it. He begins to read from it and Anya closes her eyes to enjoy it, resting her head against Dmitry’s shoulder. He stops halfway through and she opens her eyes to find Robin’s thumb in his mouth, fast asleep. 

“I was listening to that,” she protests in a whisper. 

“You’ll have to wait for tomorrow for the thrilling conclusion,” he tells her, brushing his lips against hers. “We should tuck these two in for the night.” 

Eloise is still awake, her eyelids nearly but not completely closed. 

“No,” she tells him softly, keeping his arm secured around her. “I ran away for these moments.”

“At seventeen you saw yourself with two sleeping children in a modest living room?” Dmitry asks, clearly half teasing. 

“I saw having a family with you,” she says, pinching his arm. “An entire life of me and you.” 

She wonders how much of it was youthful stubbornness but she was right, and this is exactly the life she wanted for herself. If only things weren’t so dire for her parents. It’s a dark cloud in her happiness but she’s grateful to have her siblings in her life so close again. 

“Glad you dreamed it to reality for both of us,” he responds as Robin turns in his lap, burrowing further against him. 

Anya squeezes his arm, and remembers the night she told him they were running away. So bold and reckless, and so very sure of her path and desires.

Her mind is still on her sisters, or at least one sister. “We should invite Masha over, I think she’s bored and lonely over at Nonna’s. Our sisters have thrown themselves into their hospital work, and Alexei follows Viktor around, trying to learn everything he can.”

“Does Alexei want to go into medicine?” Dmitry asks her. 

“I don’t know if it’s that or if he just wants to learn to take care of his condition now that Mama’s not around to constantly fret over him,” Anya answers. “Maybe she could help, once you return to work.” 

“Would that help you or her?” He questions with a smile. 

“Both of us,” she says with a pout. “Plus, I didn’t know if Robin would ever get to know his Aunts and Uncle, so I want to take the chance while I can. I don’t know how to exist if not in a big family.”

“Invite Maria over,” Dmitry tells her. “Viktor and Katya too, if they’re still around. Allow them a break from the elder Romanovs.” 

Anya gives him a kiss on the lips in response. “Will you cook as well?” 

He rolls his eyes but nods, “Have I ever said no to you?” 

“Plenty of times,” Anya reminds him. “But you’ve yet to mean it.”

“Okay,” Dmitry announces, shifting off the couch and Robin wakes slowly, his eyes watering with tears from exhaustion. “I knew that was coming, let’s get you to bed, Bug.” 

Robin sniffles against his father’s shoulder, his arms stretching up into the sky. “I want Mama.” 

“I’ll be right behind you,” Anya promises, pulling the blanket off of her and transferring Eloise to her shoulder to bring her to the bassinet in her and Dmitry’s room. 

She puts Eloise down, passing Dmitry in the hall on her way to Robin’s room, and he squeezes her hand as they pass.

This is definitely everything she’s run away for.


End file.
